The invention disclosed herein relates generally to cassette adapters. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cassette adapter for coupling audio signals from a source to a conventional cassette playback deck of either the front-load or side-load types.
In general, a conventional cassette playback deck, such as the type commonly installed in automobiles, is capable of reproducing audio signals from pre-recorded magnetic tapes stored within cassette housings but cannot be detachably connected to other sources for reproduction of audio signals from such other sources as portable radios, portable compact disc players, or cellular telephones. Due to design and engineering constraints, audio systems commonly installed in automobiles generally do not have jacks or other connectors enabling a user to couple a source of audio signals, other than a pre-recorded cassette, to the cassette player.
With the proliferation of portable electronic devices which generate audio signals, there is a need for an adapter which allows a user to interface a portable electronic device to a cassette player such that the audio signals generated by the electronic device may be played through the cassette player's audio system.
While there are cassette adapters known in the art for coupling audio signals from portable electronic devices to cassette players, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,897, "Cassette Adapter for Playback Device, Such as a Compact Disk Player", which is incorporated herein by reference, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,388, "Drive-in Theatre Sound Distribution System", which is incorporated herein by reference, the cassette adapters known in the art suffer from problems and drawbacks which make them difficult to use and shorten their useful lifespan.
Cassette adapters disclosed in the prior art allow use in both side-load and front-load assette players by providing a length of wire, permanently and internally connected to the adapter's cassette-shaped housing, which can slide within the housing such that the wire can be positioned parallel to a side wall of the housing or, alternatively, parallel to the front wall of the housing. Such wires tend to fray with use since the wires are not prevented from sliding along slits in the housing. Once the wires tear, the adapter can no longer be used. In fact, the proper use of such adapters calls for the user to slide the wires from position to position for use with cassette players of different configurations. Additionally, once the wires have been configured for use in a particular cassette player, there is a tendency for the wires to slide from position to position, thus possibly interfering with the operation of the cassette player and contributing to the wear and tear on the wires where they slide against the housing.
There is thus a need for a cassette adapter useful for coupling audio signals from an electronic audio signal-generating source to a cassette player, such that the cassette adapter is easy to use in both front-load and side-load cassette players and such that the cassette adapter is inexpensive and long-lasting.